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Read. Follow. Verify.Georgia Establishes Election Equipment Committee, Strips Secretary of State of Procurement Power, and Mandates Recounts
Last action · June 25, 2026: Senate Date Signed by GovernorSponsors: Max Burns and 21 others
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What This Bill Does
Senate Bill 3EX creates the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee to recommend a new uniform election system using hand-marked paper ballots by January 31, 2027, strips the current Secretary of State of authority over equipment procurement, and requires state-reimbursed manual recounts in close statewide elections.
Changes how Georgia selects voting technology by moving authority from the Secretary of State to a legislative-executive committee and sets mandatory recount rules and state reimbursements for close statewide contests.
- The legislation addresses ongoing debates surrounding the security and administration of voting machines and election auditing procedures in Georgia. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Secretary of State
The office is stripped of all authority and role in selecting, certifying, or procuring the new uniform election equipment system.
County Election Superintendents
Superintendents are required to complete mandated manual recounts within 17 days to qualify for state cost reimbursements.
Nonlegislative Committee Members
Receive per diems and necessary travel expenses paid from funds appropriated to the State Election Board.
Key Facts
- Creates the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee composed of three electors appointed by the Governor, three Senators appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments, and three House members appointed by the Speaker.
- Requires the committee to prepare a report recommending specifications, standards, and requirements for a new uniform system of election equipment based on hand-marked paper ballots produced utilizing ballot on demand printing by January 31, 2027.
- Strips the Secretary of State in office on the effective date of any role or authority in the selection, certification, or procurement of the new uniform system, declaring past and future procurement actions by that office void and ultra vires.
- Provides that the committee shall stand repealed on July 1, 2029.
Show all 8 facts
- Mandates that in any qualified statewide contest (such as Governor or Secretary of State) appearing as the first or second contest on a ballot where the vote difference is not more than one-half of 1 percent, the Secretary of State shall direct a manual recount of all ballots in all counties.
- Requires the state to reimburse counties for reasonable recount costs provided the superintendent completes the recount within 17 days of the Secretary of State ordering it.
- Revises selected contest definitions for pre-certification tabulation audits and risk-limiting audits.
- Amends SB 189 from the 2024 legislative session to revise Section 7's effective date to January 1, 2028.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the newly created Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee do?
Who is affected by the restriction on election equipment procurement?
When is a manual recount automatically triggered under this bill?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
17 actions- Jun 25, 2026SenateEnrolledSenate Date Signed by Governor
- Jun 25, 2026GovernorEnrolledAct 1EX
- Jun 25, 2026Georgia General AssemblyEffective Date
- Jun 23, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Jun 23, 2026HouseHouse Third Readers
- Jun 23, 2026HouseFloorHouse Passed/Adopted By Substitute
Show 11 earlier actions
- Jun 23, 2026HouseHouse Immediately Transmitted to Senate
- Jun 23, 2026SenateFloorSenate Agreed House Amend or Sub
- Jun 23, 2026SenateSenate Sent to Governor
- Jun 22, 2026HouseHouse Second Readers
- Jun 20, 2026SenateSenate Third Read
- Jun 20, 2026SenateFloorSenate Passed/Adopted As Amended
- Jun 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse First Readers
- Jun 18, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported
- Jun 18, 2026SenateSenate Read Second Time
- Jun 17, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate Hopper
- Jun 17, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate Read and Referred
Version history & redline
8 versions on fileLobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transfer of Election Procurement Power
The legislation strips the incumbent Secretary of State of executive procurement power over election equipment and delegates it to a newly created temporary legislative-executive committee.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.ga.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment30Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz65Current news / social attention level
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